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Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to Lead Bangladesh Amid Political Turmoil
In a significant turn of events, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, often referred to as the “banker to the poor,” has been appointed to lead an interim government in Bangladesh. This move follows the ousting of the country’s prime minister and the dissolution of parliament after weeks of intense and deadly anti-government demonstrations led by student protesters.
The announcement came from the Bangladesh president’s press secretary, confirming Yunus’s new role in the tumultuous political landscape. The student movement that played a crucial part in forcing the prime minister’s departure celebrated the news, though there are concerns about potential military intervention during this transitional period.
Yunus, currently in France for a minor medical procedure, is expected to return to Bangladesh soon to assume his new responsibilities. The Students Against Discrimination group expressed their approval, stating, “We are very delighted to say that Dr. Yunus has agreed to accept this challenge to save Bangladesh as per our students’ request.”
Who is Muhammad Yunus?
Muhammad Yunus, born in 1940 in Chittagong, Bangladesh, is a renowned economist and social entrepreneur. He studied at Dhaka University before earning a Fulbright scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University in the United States, where he obtained a Ph.D. in economics. After Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971, Yunus returned to teach at Chittagong University.
During the devastating famine of 1974, Yunus’s perspective on economics shifted dramatically. Witnessing widespread hunger and poverty, he began providing small loans to impoverished individuals, which led to the founding of the Grameen Bank in 1983. The bank became a global model for poverty alleviation through microlending, earning Yunus and the institution the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Grameen Bank’s innovative approach has disbursed approximately $6 billion in loans, particularly benefiting Bangladeshi women.
Yunus’s Contentious Relationship with Former Prime Minister Hasina
Over the years, Yunus has clashed frequently with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who accused him of exploiting the poor. Despite briefly considering forming a political party in 2007, Yunus chose not to pursue this path. His removal as managing director of Grameen Bank in 2011 by Bangladesh’s government-controlled central bank, citing his age, marked the beginning of a series of legal challenges against him.
Yunus faced numerous legal battles, including defamation, food safety, and tax irregularities, all of which he denied. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to six months in prison for labor law violations and indicted on embezzlement charges. Yunus has consistently argued that these actions were politically motivated, describing them as harassment and warning that Bangladesh was on a path to becoming a “self-destructing civilization.”
In recent interviews, Yunus criticized the ruling party for turning Bangladesh into a “one-party” state, stifling political competition. With Hasina’s departure, it remains unclear what will happen to the ongoing legal prosecutions against Yunus.
As Yunus prepares to lead the interim government, the world watches to see if his leadership will bring the stability and reform that Bangladesh desperately needs.
News
Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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